Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated at the opening of three ports and one ferry to serve the community in Wakatobi District, Southeast Sulawesi Province and its surrounding areas, at Wanci Port on Thursday.
The three ports are Kaledupa Port, Tomia Port, and Binongko Port.
"In addition, there is also a ferry unit, namely Passenger Motor Vessel (KMP) Sultan Murhum II, which is also ready to operate," he stated.
The ship is to serve the crossing routes of the Kamaru-Kaledupa, Kaledupa-Tomia, and Tomia-Binongko -- which are the group of islands in the Wakatobi National Tourism Strategic Area (KSPN) -- with four trips per week, he noted.
The president has said that with the operation of the ports and ferry, the activities and mobility of the community will become easier, especially for the transport of basic necessities.
"In addition, we expect that the connectivity among the islands in Wakatobi KSPN will get better," he remarked.
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According to the official site of the Press, Media, and Information Bureau of Presidential Secretariat, Jokowi was accompanied by Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, as well as Agrarian and Spatial Planning Minister/National Land Agency Head Sofyan Djalil.
There were also State Secretary Minister Pratikno, Investment Minister/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia, Governor of Southeast Sulawesi Ali Mazi, as well as Head of Wakatobi District Haliana.
Prior to the inauguration, the president opened the 2022 Agrarian Reform Task Force (GTRA) Summit.
Also, he traveled to Mola Village, Wakatobi District, to hand over land rights certificates to the community.
Jokowi and his entourage continued their trip to the Pagi Market, Wakatobi District, to hand over social assistance to beneficiaries.
They are to end their working visit in the district by releasing turtle hatchlings at Patuno Resort, along with members of the community.
While reviewing the ports earlier, the transportation minister said that each of the newly built ports has a pier with a length of 82 meters.
Meanwhile, the KMP Sultan Murhum II weighs 500 gross tonnes (GT), is 46.80 m long, a speed of 13 knots, as well as a capacity of 262 passengers, 16 medium trucks, and 26 small vehicles. It was constructed by the state-run shipyard company PT Industri Kapal Indonesia (IKI) at a cost of Rp39.3 billion (US$2.7 million).
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